Apparatus for fettering maniacs and criminals.



R. STEIMER.

APPARATUS FOR FETTERING MANIAGS AND CRIMINALS.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 22, 1912.-

Patented Dec.17.1912.

RUFIN STEIMER, OF OBERWYL, ZUG, SWITZERLAND.

APPARATUS FOR FETTERING MANIACS AND GRIMINALS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1912.

Application filed June 22, 1912. Serial No. 705,230.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUFIN STEIMER, a citizen of the Confederation of Switzerland, residing in Oberwyl, near Zug, in said Confederation, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatuses for Fettering Maniacs and Criminals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved ap paratus for fettering maniacs, criminals, and the like, in which the arms and limbs are securely held in such a manner that every muscular effort is prevented without limiting the freedom of motion of the person, or the proper feeding of the same, or becoming dangerous for his surroundings, while at the same time the attendant is relieved to a great extent of the supervision of the person and at the same time a perfectly humane treatment of the same rendered possible.

The invention consists of the apparatus for fettering maniacs, criminals and other dangerous persons for rendering them harmless, which apparatus will be fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a front-view, Fig. 2 a perspective rear-view of my improved safety-apparatus for fettering maniacs, criminals, etc., and Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the clamping means employed in my improved apparatus.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

The improved fettering apparatus consists mainly of the following parts: the beltarrangement and its locking device. The belt 6 is preferably made of leather and connected by a shoulder-strap a and back-strap 7) with a chest-strap (Z. The belt 6 like the chest-strap cl is buckled at the rear of the body. The belt 6 is provided at the left and right-hand side near the hips respectively with double wrist-straps f which are connected with the thigh-straps 9 that are applied around the upper portions of the thighs, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The locks for the wrist-straps f, belt 6 and chest-strap (Z are formed of two clamping-bars h which are tightly screwed together and over the respective straps by transverse screws 1' that clamp the wrist or other straps tightly together, as shown in Fig. 3.

The fettering apparatus is applied and used as follows: After belt, shoulder, chest and back-straps are applied to the upper portion of the body and the wrist-straps f are closed by means of the clamping-straps h around the wrists of the person to be shackled, the parts are locked together by means of the clamping-devices cl, 6, g, respectively on the back of the body at the rear parts of the thighs and at the wrists. The clamping arrangement for the wriststraps permits the same to be applied to any size of wrist while leaving a suflicient play so that a too great pressure on the wrists and the interruption of the regular circulation of the blood is obviated while the releasing of the hands from the wriststraps is prevented.

By the fettering apparatus shown, it is possible for the person which is shackled to feed himself, as the hands can be lifted up to the height of the chest especially when in a sitting position, so that by bending the head and the upper portion of the body the mouth can be reached by the usual means for conveying fod.

When the strength of the person who is to be shackled by the safety-apparatus is entirely neutralized, then it is necessary that the thigh-straps should be tightly applied and locked to the upper portions of the thighs so that thereby the hands and at the same time the muscles of the arms are held in a position so that every forcible effort by the same is prevented. This is furthermore assisted by applying the endless footstraps 7a, which are locked by the clampingstraps k, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2. In some cases the wriststraps are provided with gloves 0 which serve for the purpose of preventing the tearing of the clothes as far as they are within reach of the hands.

I claim: I

1. A safety-apparatus for fettering maniacs, criminals, and the like, which comprises a belt, straps for supporting the same on the upper portion of the body, wriststraps located below the belt, means for clamping the wrist-straps to the wrists, and thigh-straps connected with the lower ends of the wrist-straps.

2. A safety-apparatus for fettering maniacs, criminals, and the like, which comprises a belt, straps for supporting the same on the upper portion of the body, wrist straps located below the belt, means for clamping the Wrist-straps to the Wrists, thigh-straps connected With the lower ends of the Wrist-straps, and clamping-means for the thigh-straps.

3. A safety-apparatus for fettering mathigh-straps connected With the Wrist-straps, and clamping-devices for the chest-strap, belt, Wrist-straps and thigh-straps.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

RUFIN STEIMER Witnesses:

LEOPOLD HLADOWETZ, MAX SOHULZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, I). G. 

